The investigation into the corruption at the Bureau of Corrections must go deeper than the involvement of recidivist Nicanor Faeldon.
The Office of the Ombudsman, the Senate, as well as the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission should unmask and hold liable all of those responsible for the unlawful release of prisoners from the National Penitentiary since the 2013 enactment of Republic Act 10592.
The scandal, which has implicated some key officials in the Duterte administration, may be the worst since the tragic 2015 Special Action Force 44 massacre in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, which cast blood on the hands of former President Noynoy Aquino.
Now we know that BuCor has freed thousands of notorious convicts, including heinous criminals, far more than the number of those suspected illegal drug dealers killed in alleged encounters with Philippine National Police operatives in Oplan Tokhang since 2016.
Obviously, the Tokhang fatalities missed the “second chance” at a reformed life of “matuwid na daan” which is the supposed rationale of RA 10592, allowing “Good Conduct Time Allowance” to Bilibid Prison inmates.
It surfaced that due to the corruption in BuCor, an attached agency of the Department of Justice those ineligible for release under RA 10592 have bought their way out of incarceration. The releases were reportedly without the approval of the Justice Secretary.
Hardened criminals including convicts for murder, armed robbery, kidnappers, rapists, child molesters, drug lords and illegal drug traffickers, gunrunners, and arsonists.
Indeed, this mockery of law and justice to the detriment of victims of monstrous crimes and terrorism has blatantly undermined President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-crime and anti-illegal drugs campaign.
This irregularity has been going on since 2013 and all those officials and staff of BuCor and other government officials who had a hand in allowing unreformed and hardened criminals must be exposed. They must be criminally and administratively charged.
Whichever institution or agency is conducting an inquiry on the issue, no stone should be left unturned.
Unmask all the crooks!